Spotted Wing Drosophila

Timely Viticulture is an electronic newsletter designed to remind grape producers of seasonal vineyard needs and considerations throughout the year.

Dr. Kelly Hamby reported the presence of Spotted-wing drosophila (SWD) in Central and Western Maryland. Effective strategies to manage SWD include setting up traps, conducting visual inspections, maintaining a 7-day spray interval, using various insecticide modes of action, and considering temperatures during and after spray application. For organic production, Entrust® is recommended. Other measures to reduce SWD populations and protect fruit quality include removing cull fruit, shortening harvest intervals, using mesh netting, and cooling fruit.

Spotted-wing drosophila (SWD, Drosophila suzukii) is a small fly that lays its eggs into ripening and ripe soft-skinned fruit, causing direct damage and wounds that other pests and pathogens can use. Although they prefer fully colored ripe fruit, they are capable of infesting fruit that is just starting to turn color and will do so when populations are high.

Fruit and Vegetable News, Volume 12, Issue 4 (July 15, 2021)

The invasive spotted-wing drosophila (SWD) is the key insect pest of soft-skinned fruit across the United States. With the recent wet weather, we have been experiencing higher than normal spotted wing drosophila (SWD) pressure.

Growers and an alert county agent, Ben Beale, have found what most likely will be an infestation of spotted wing drosophila (SWD) in cherries in southern Maryland (St. Mary’s County). I say "most likely" because I have the cherries and the maggots but it is very difficult to identify SWD from other fruit or vinegar fly maggots.

A few blueberry and cherry growers in central Maryland have reported fruit damage to their crop from Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD) this week. If you grow any small fruit such as blueberries, cherries, blackberries, raspberries it would be best if you check these crops for the presence of SWD.